Air cycle machine with integral heat exchanger

Abstract

An air cycle machine includes a shaft rotatable about a shaft axis, a compressor section and a turbine section operably coupled to the compressor section. The compressor section includes a compressor housing and a compressor rotor connected to the shaft and the turbine section includes a turbine housing and a turbine rotor mounted to the shaft. At least one heat exchanger is positioned within one of the compressor housing and the turbine housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air cycle machine comprising:
 a shaft rotatable about a shaft axis;   a compressor section including a compressor housing and a compressor rotor, the compressor rotor being connected to the shaft;   a turbine section operably coupled to the compressor section, the turbine section including a turbine housing and a turbine rotor, the turbine rotor being mounted to the shaft; and   at least one heat exchanger positioned within at least one of the compressor housing and the turbine housing.   
     
     
         2 . The air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is an air-liquid heat exchanger. 
     
     
         3 . The air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is mounted within the compressor housing downstream from the compressor rotor relative to a flow of a medium through the compressor section. 
     
     
         4 . The air cycle machine of  claim 3 , wherein the compressor section further comprises:
 an inlet duct arranged within the compressor housing; and   an intermediate wall arranged within the compressor housing at a position radially offset from the inlet duct.   
     
     
         5 . The air cycle machine of  claim 4 , wherein an annular clearance is formed between the intermediate wall and the compressor housing, the at least one heat exchanger being arranged within the annular clearance. 
     
     
         6 . The air cycle machine of  claim 4 , wherein the flow of the medium provided at an outlet of the compressor rotor is configured to move axially through the at least one heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is mounted within the turbine housing downstream from the turbine rotor relative to a flow of a medium through the turbine section. 
     
     
         8 . The air cycle machine of  claim 7 , wherein the turbine section further comprises:
 an outlet duct arranged within the turbine housing;   wherein an annular clearance is defined between the outlet duct and the turbine housing.   
     
     
         9 . The air cycle machine of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger is arranged within the annular clearance. 
     
     
         10 . The air cycle machine of  claim 8 , wherein the flow of the medium from the outlet duct is configured to move radially through the at least one heat exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger further comprises a first heat exchanger mounted within the compressor section of the air cycle machine and a second heat exchanger mounted within the turbine section of the air cycle machine. 
     
     
         12 . The air cycle machine of  claim 11 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are arranged in series relative to at least one of a flow of medium and a flow of cooling liquid. 
     
     
         13 . The air cycle machine of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger further comprises a regenerative heat exchanger associated with the compressor section, the regenerative heat exchanger being arranged downstream from an outlet of the compressor rotor and upstream from an inlet of the turbine rotor. 
     
     
         14 . The air cycle machine of  claim 13 , wherein the regenerative heat exchanger is an air-air heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The air cycle machine of  claim 11 , further comprising a second turbine section operably coupled to the compressor section, wherein the second turbine section includes a second turbine housing and a second turbine rotor, the second turbine rotor being mounted to the shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The air cycle machine of  claim 15 , wherein the second turbine section is arranged opposite the compressor section relative to the turbine section. 
     
     
         17 . The air cycle machine of  claim 15 , wherein a configuration of the second turbine section is substantially identical to a configuration of the turbine section. 
     
     
         18 . The air cycle machine of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one heat exchanger further comprises a third heat exchanger mounted within the second turbine section of the air cycle machine. 
     
     
         19 . The air cycle machine of  claim 18 , wherein the third heat exchanger is arranged in series with at leas tone of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger relative to at least one of a flow of medium and a flow of cooling liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The air cycle machine of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of each of the compressor section, the turbine section and the second turbine section are integrally formed.